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Jubilee Makes 500 Free Mammograms Possible

3/12/2011

Most people have heard of the Indy 500, perhaps the most prestigious 500-mile race in motorsports history. Dixie Regional Medical Center’s Mammogram 500 program could help women win the race against breast cancer or avoid that terrible event altogether.

“Thanks to the 2010 Jubilee of Trees, 500 mammograms will be fully funded for at-risk women, all with the hope of turning a major corner on this life-threatening disease in southern Utah,” said Chris Southwick, the operations officer at Dixie Regional Medical Center with accountability for both mammography and women’s services.

Southwick said the scope of the Mammogram 500 program covers the initial cost of a screening mammogram for women age 40 and older who are uninsured or unable to bear the cost of a mammogram as well as not currently enrolled in a federal- or state-funded program, such as Medicare or Medicaid. Women must also be legal residents of Washington County.

The Mammogram 500 program began March 1. Forms to apply for a free mammogram are now available at the imaging desks in the Intermountain River Road Clinic and Hurricane Valley Clinic. The mammograms provided will also be conducted at those clinics. More information about this program may be obtained by calling (435) 688-6401.

“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the individual and collective donors who donated so generously at the Jubilee of Trees so funding for this important program is available,” said Southwick. “We could not be more appreciative of the countless community members who have supported this project in so many ways. Thank you!”

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. In 2010, about 208,000 new women will be diagnosed and about 40,000 women will die. Early detection of breast cancer is the key to survival and detection is achieved through routine screening.